The Role of Interest and Motivation in Science Investigation and Engineering Design Instruction
Abstract
"In this commissioned paper, I synthesize findings from interest and motivation intervention studies to recommend guidelines for designing learning environments in 6th -12th grade science and engineering education. Part I of the paper describes promising results from motivation studies designed to target student intelligence beliefs and intrinsic motivations. In part II, I utilize an interest development perspective to suggest interest scaffolding as a way to increase interest, motivation, and learning during science investigations and engineering design work. I then describe some discussion of considerations for interest and motivation interventions for underrepresented groups in science and engineering in part III, and the role of intrinsic versus extrinsic motivators in part IV. Finally, I conclude with a call for more experimental research using intervention design studies to further our understanding of what interest and motivation supports work best for improved learning in science and engineering."
